


I'll be your optimistic black hole, full of love I can't control

by MagicaLyss



Series: A Permanent Hug From You {Parkner Febufluff} [7]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Dorks in Love, Gay Harley Keener, Harley Keener Needs a Hug, M/M, Peter Parker is a Good Bro, Pining, Precious Peter Parker, Teen Peter Parker, Tony Stark Acting as Harley Keener's Parental Figure, Tony Stark is Good With Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-27
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:40:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22928857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagicaLyss/pseuds/MagicaLyss
Summary: Febufluff Day 13 & 14 – Bouquet of Roses & Valentine’s DayHe went from being the smartest kid in Rose Hill, to being the stupidest kid in Midtown.He was supposed to be Stark’s kid, the smart kid, the one everyone went to for homework help. It shouldn’t be hard for him to pass his classes.But fuck was he ever wrong.His grades were slipping through his fingers, his nights were spent crying out of frustration at his desk when he just didn’t get it. He couldn’t understand the numbers and words floating around his pages.He was going to fail.
Relationships: Harley Keener & Tony Stark, Harley Keener/Peter Parker
Series: A Permanent Hug From You {Parkner Febufluff} [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1620397
Comments: 9
Kudos: 327





	I'll be your optimistic black hole, full of love I can't control

Back in Tennessee, Harley was used to being one of the smartest kids in town. Rose Hill was a small place filled with people who would end up going nowhere. Everyone in his class would end up taking after their parents, working as teachers of Rose Hill High or at the corner store or in the little pubs around town.  
  


Harley, on the other hand, had Tony Stark on speed dial. He had a garage filled with Stark-approved technologies. He used to build pop can robots and potato guns using the junk he took from his mom’s work at one of the pubs. And then he started building real technologies using the things that Tony bought for him.  
  


He was used to be being the smartest. He was happy being top of the ranks, the one voted for The Person To Go The Farthest at the award ceremonies. He had never been anywhere but comfortably a genius compared to the other kids at his skills.  
  


And then he arrived to Midtown High, in the middle of junior year.  
  


He went from being the smartest kid in Rose Hill, to being the stupidest kid in Midtown.  
  


He was supposed to be Stark’s kid, the smart kid, the one everyone went to for homework help. It shouldn’t be hard for him to pass his classes.  
  


But fuck was he ever wrong.  
  


His grades were slipping through his fingers, his nights were spent crying out of frustration at his desk when he just _didn’t get it_. He couldn’t understand the numbers and words floating around his pages.  
  


And exams were rolling around soon. Only a couple weeks until then and if Harley fails his exams, he’ll fail his classes, he’ll fail the semester. He’ll end up back in Rose Hill, back to pretending to be the smartest kid like he isn’t struggling to understand everything.  
  


He was going to fail.  
  


  
*  
  
  
He’s half-asleep in English class, somehow the only class he’s passing decently, when somebody sits in the vacant seat beside him, the seat that’s been empty for the past two months that he’s been in New York.  
  


He didn’t have any friends, but he knew the boy beside him.  
  


Peter Parker was the kid that got pushed into lockers, punched behind the school, lunch money stolen, teased and tripped and tortured by Flash and his group of dumbasses.  
  


Peter was also well-known as the smartest kid in school, acing all his classes despite his less-than-perfect attendance record. He wore thick glasses and button-ups under his sweaters, wide bambi-brown eyes filled with a sort of childish innocence.  
  


“Hi,” Harley says dumbly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Normally, Peter sits front and center just like he does in all the classes they share.  
  


Peter smiles brightly, eyes crinkling behind his glasses. “Hi. I’m Peter. Peter Parker.”  
  


“Harley. No offense, of course, but why are talking to _me_?”  
  


“Yeah, I, uh, I don’t wanna overstep or anything, but I heard from my not-quite-friend that you were having some trouble in Chem and I was wondering if you wanted any help?”  
  


It’s said with such ease, such carelessness, like it isn’t the thing that Harley’s been beating himself up over for _months_. Like this hasn’t caused tears, hiding his tests with failing grades from Tony and hoping to god he can make those marks back later.  
  


“The exam’s coming up,” Peter continues, blushing under Harley’s gaze and averting his eyes to the floor. “And I don’t wanna be that guy but I’m a tutor for the school, so if you needed some help, I just wanted to let you know I’m always available.”  
  


Tears fill his eyes as the embarrassment, the _shame_ , burns his chest, hands shaking under the desk.  
  


He’s supposed to be smart. He’s supposed to be able to understand this stuff without a fucking tutor.  
  


But he can’t do it.  
  


He feels so fucking stupid all the time, going from The Genius of Rose Hill all the way down to The Stupid Kid Who Needs a Tutor at Midtown.  
  


“Just let me know, yeah? I’m always around.” Peter moves to stand up, offering another timid smile.  
  


Just as he’s about to turn away, to leave Harley who’s barely said a word, Harley grabs his wrist. He’s weak. He’s so fucking weak, but he _needs_ this. He needs help. He needs to get his head above water before he fails his exams.  
  


“I, uh, I kinda need a tutor, yeah,” Harley says, shoving down the burning shame.  
  


Peter’s quick to sit back down, a gentle smile gracing his features. “Yeah, of course, I’m happy to help.”  
  


“I’m failing my classes,” Harley admits because he’s been holding that secret in his chest for two of the longest months in his life. “Almost all of them. I just- I can’t fail my exams too. I just- I don’t get it. I feel so fucking stupid.”  
  


Somehow, someway, there’s no disgust in Peter’s expression, no confusion, no hatred, no judgement. Just the same bright kindness that he manages to constantly radiate.  
  


“That’s okay, everyone gets a little in over the head sometimes. You’re smart, Harley, I’m in your Tech class, I would know,” Peter says, smile never fading. “Just because you’re having trouble with memorizing the concepts or getting a hang of the ideas, doesn’t mean you’re stupid.”  
  


It’s such a simple, casual thing for Peter to say, but it loosens something in Harley’s chest, makes the insecurities quiet just a little bit.  
  


“So you’ll help me?” Harley asks quietly.  
  


And Peter smiles, bright and incomparably. “Course I will, Harley.”  
  


  
*  
  
  
There are only three weeks left until his exams, so Peter decides to devote all of his free time to Harley like he has nothing better to do.  
  


It starts with just a few lunches and a couple after-school tutor sessions at the school’s library, but by the second week, Peter’s decided he wants Harley to absolutely ace his tests, so they start spending every lunch and afternoon together, pouring over Harley’s textbooks.  
  


And on Friday of the second week, Peter invites Harley back to his place for a few extra hours of studying.  
  


Peter’s a genius. He knows everything, it feels like. Harley believes Peter’s IQ could even rival Tony’s, though he’d never admit that to his mentor.  
  


He lives in an old, small apartment in Queens with his aunt, a wonderful woman and Harley immediately understands where Peter got his unconditional kindness.  
  


May left for work while they were studying on Friday and they lose track of time.  
  


(Harley gets caught up in the way Peter laughs and smiles, so open and bright, and the way he teaches, devoted and thorough, and the way he’s so wonderful with every question Harley has, every complaint about he feels stupid not getting their classwork.)  
  


And eventually, they realize it’s gotten pretty late and Harley has a dozen or so missed calls from Tony.  
  


“Oh shit, I should probably-” Harley says, preparing to stand and leave, despite wanting to stay.  
  


“If you’re allowed to, you can stay the night,” Peter offers shyly, a soft blush filling his cheeks. “We can study for a little longer, I think we have some leftover takeout.”  
  


Harley can’t help the smile that stretches over his face, ignoring the warmth that soothes all of his worries.  
  


“Lemme call Tony and ask.”  
  


  
*  
  
  
Tony said yes, along with a lot of teasing about staying the night with another boy, but after that Friday night, they hang out for most of the day on Saturday, and again on Sunday.  
  


Though, they spend Sunday watching movies and hanging out as friends more than they really get any homework done. Peter claims that Star Wars is educational too, and it’ll help Harley with his classwork, but Harley knows better.  
  


The next week, the two boys are practically inseparable.   
  


Peter claims he’s only sitting beside Harley in all his classes to help him with the work, and Harley says he only walks Peter from class to class to protect him from Flash because he needs to make sure his tutor is in perfect shape for exams.  
  


They hang out at the library or Peter’s apartment after school every day, and they spend lunches together, and the weekend before exams, Peter comes to the tower and they spend all three days cooped up in Harley’s room (which he actually cleaned before Peter came over) to make sure Harley was absolutely prepared for his exams.  
  


Even Tony gives them space, which is crazy considering it’s _Tony_. But all he does is knock on their door every few hours, offering snacks or meals or asking if they need any help. Otherwise, he doesn’t bother them.  
  


  
*  
  
  
And then, before Harley knows it, exams are over.  
  


He did it and he did them with _confidence_.  
  


They get their grades back the second week of February, but Harley doesn’t care anymore because Peter’s back to sitting in the front of the classrooms, back to just offering polite smiles when they see each other in the hallways, back to not hanging out with Harley.  
  


He doesn’t know what he expected, but he didn’t think Peter would go back to not talking to Harley. He didn’t think Peter would just leave him as soon as Harley stopped needing him.  
  


But it’s _fine_.  
  


Harley doesn’t care.  
  


Or at least that’s what he tells himself when he watches Peter sit across the room with his stupid, beautiful smile and messy curls and adorable skip in his step.  
  


He doesn’t care.  
  


  
*  
  
  
Grade Average of Eighty-Eight Percent.  
  


Holy fucking shit.  
  


The report card is shaking in his grip, page crinkling in his sweaty hands.  
  


Peter managed to get his grades up from failing, up to high 80s. How? Harley doesn’t know, but the numbers stare back up at him from the page, real and right in front of him.  
  


“You should get your study-buddy a gift,” Tony says.  
  


He found out about Harley’s grades when he found his progress report hidden under the couch a few days prior. He wasn’t happy, not that Harley was failing, but because Harley didn’t feel like he could go to Tony for help.  
  


After a long discussion about intelligence and about asking for help and about how Tony will be proud of him for whatever grades he gets as long as he’s trying his best, things went back to normal.  
  


“He isn’t talking to me anymore,” Harley admits quietly.  
  


Tony lets out a little laugh, quickly stifling it when he sees Harley’s sour expression. “Just talk to him. I saw the way he looked at you, kiddo. From what you’ve told me, he probably just doesn’t know _how_ to be your friend.”  
  


“So… what? What am I supposed to do?”  
  


Tony shrugs, leaning back against the counter and offering a smile. It makes Harley miss Peter’s smiles. “It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow, kid. Get him some flowers or something, let him know you did well on your Exams and then ask to hang out sometime. Stop overthinking this.”  
  


“And what if he says no?”  
  


“Then he’s missing out. And you can play it off as just wanting to say thank you, nothing more. No harm done.”  
  


  
That’s how Harley ends up walking down the hall with faux-confidence, bouquet of roses clutched in one hand, his report card in the other.  
  


Peter’s at his locker, a heavy book in his hands. He looks pretty, like he always does, cheeks flushed a light pink, bambi-brown eyes scanning the pages, a soft smile gracing his face.  
  


“Peter!” Harley calls out.  
  


The boy looks up, pushing his book into his locker to focus his whole attention on Harley. He’s already grinning, eyes light and sparkling.  
  


“Harley,” Peter greets, smile unfaltering, even as he takes in the roses.  
  


“I wanted to get you a thank you gift for helping me out this past month,” Harley says, his mouth is suddenly dry and his heart is pounding in his chest. “Guess who has an eighty-eight average?”  
  


Peter’s jaw drops and his eyes got wide, and then his arms are around Harley’s neck, face against his shoulder.  
  


“Holy shit, that’s incredible!”  
  


Harley’s quick to catch the younger boy, sliding his arm around Peter’s waist, careful not to disturb the flowers.  
  


Peter pulls away, just enough to look up at Harley, face beaming with pride. “I knew you could do it. I told you, you were smart, didn’t I?”  
  


With Peter’s face just inches from Harley’s, beautiful and bright with that wonderful kindness, arms already around Harley, nobody can really blame him for crossing the few inches of distance and pressing their lips together.  
  


Another wonderful turn of events, and Peter’s kissing him back, arms tightening around Harley’s shoulders, drawing them closer together.  
  


When they’re eventually pulling away, Peter smiling shyly, blushing and obviously flustered.  
  


“I, uh, I-” Peter stutters, eyes wide. But he looks _happy_.  
  


“You wanna go out sometime?” Harley asks. “Not school-related.”  
  


Peter’s face lights up in another one of his beautiful smile. “I’d love to.”  
  


Peter kisses his again, leaning up on his toes to reach Harley’s mouth.  
  


“Happy Valentine’s Day, Peter.”  
  


“You too, Harley.”  
  


**Author's Note:**

> [My Tumblr](https://lyssismagical.tumblr.com/)


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